Fresh Anaheim riots: Rage over police shootings, cops fire pepper pellets (PHOTOS)

Published time: July 25, 2012 08:11
Edited time: July 26, 2012 00:06
A protester is arrested by police officers from Orange County as protesters try to occupy the the intersection of Anaheim Blvd. and Broadway to demonstrate against recent police shooting in Anaheim (REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)
Download video (10.34 MB)
Embed

Residents of Anaheim have clashed yet again with police following the weekend shootings that killed two men. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the center tossing rocks and bottles at police and ignoring warnings to disperse.

Police stepped up their presence on the streets of Anaheim – home of Disneyland – outside City Hall, forming skirmish lines and firing pepper balls into the swelling crowds.

Residents protested against police brutality and decried the murder of 25-year-old Manuel Diaz, who was unarmed when police shot him over the weekend.

Officers arrested at least 24 people in clashes, reports the Associated Press. The local petrol station had to be shut down when protesters were spotted filling cans with gas. A group of demonstrators also hurled chairs through the windows of a local Starbucks.

Starbucks Coffee employee assess the damage to the windows broken by demonstrators with chairs as police officers from Orange County move protesters away from Anaheim City Hall (REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)
Starbucks Coffee employee assess the damage to the windows broken by demonstrators with chairs as police officers from Orange County move protesters away from Anaheim City Hall (REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)
Patrons huddle for cover as windows are broken by demonstrators with chairs (REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)
Patrons huddle for cover as windows are broken by demonstrators with chairs (REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)

Chief of Anaheim police John Welter said that his officers had exercised “great restraint” amid protester violence.

"I respect the people's right to demonstrate, but I wish that they weren't demonstrating in a violent manner," Welter said.

Riots and protests have gripped the town for the past four days after the deaths of Manuel Diaz on Saturday and Joel Acevedo on Sunday at the hands of police officers.

Police were in pursuit of Manuel Diaz along with two other men that they suspected were gang members on Saturday. Officers then confronted Diaz in front of an apartment block where he was shot. He later died of his wounds in hospital.

Anaheim’s police have not yet cited a reason as to why they opened fire on Diaz.

The victim’s family filed a lawsuit for $50 million on Tuesday against the city of Anaheim and its police department, claiming that Diaz was shot while fleeing from police.

"The reason for the shooting is still under investigation by the district attorney and we have no influence, no control or input into that investigation, so we just merely provide scene protection making sure that any evidence or any other information or detail is not disrupted in the crime scene," Welter said.

Protesters clash with police at Anaheim City Hall to show their outrage for the shooting death of Manuel Angel Diaz (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
Protesters clash with police at Anaheim City Hall to show their outrage for the shooting death of Manuel Angel Diaz (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)

The shooting sparked an immediate response from residents who stormed the streets of Anaheim in protest of the killing. Police reacted firing beanbag rounds into crowds that included women and children. Officers were also caught on tape releasing a police dog on protesters which took down one man and bit his arm.

Anaheim police killed the second man, Joel Acevedo on Sunday night after he allegedly opened fire on officers.

City officials voted on Tuesday to ask the US attorney’s office to come and assist in the investigations of the weekend’s shootings.

A line of police officers protect Anaheim City Hall during demonstrations to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall. (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
A line of police officers protect Anaheim City Hall during demonstrations to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall. (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
Protesters walk by the smashed windows of a Starbucks after violence erupted between police officers and protesters after demonstrations to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall. (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
Protesters walk by the smashed windows of a Starbucks after violence erupted between police officers and protesters after demonstrations to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall. (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
A protester kicks a passing police car during a demonstration to show outrage for the shooting death of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall. (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
A protester kicks a passing police car during a demonstration to show outrage for the shooting death of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall. (AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
An injured pedestrian cries out to end the destruction of local properties after violence erupted between police officers and protesters during demonstrations to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall.(AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
An injured pedestrian cries out to end the destruction of local properties after violence erupted between police officers and protesters during demonstrations to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall.(AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
REUTERS / Alex Gallardo
REUTERS / Alex Gallardo

­

A scrimmage line of police officers protect the streets surrounding Anaheim City Hall during a demonstration to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall.(AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
A scrimmage line of police officers protect the streets surrounding Anaheim City Hall during a demonstration to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall.(AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)

­

A protester is taken into custody during a demonstration to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall.(AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)
A protester is taken into custody during a demonstration to show outrage for the fatal shooting of Manuel Angel Diaz, 25, at Anaheim City Hall.(AFP Photo / Jonathan Gibby)

­

A protester is arrested by police officers from Orange County as protesters try to occupy the intersection of Anaheim Blvd. and Broadway to demonstrate against recent police shooting in Anaheim.(REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)
A protester is arrested by police officers from Orange County as protesters try to occupy the intersection of Anaheim Blvd. and Broadway to demonstrate against recent police shooting in Anaheim.(REUTERS / Alex Gallardo)

Comments (36)

beowulf (unregistered) 27.07.2012 13:31

Brian (unregistered) wrote in #20 I'm white and a true conservative and I would like to know why white policeman and law enforcement in general are protecting the criminals in our government?  They are destroying America. They are the law breakers and traitors.  They need to be tried for treason in as court of law and locked up for good, every single last one of them who have destroyed America.     What always amazes me as an Englishman is the number of black police carrying out the wishes of their zionist masters. These people have short memories, it was only just over 50 years ago when the majority of black people were treated like this in the USA. Now they are carrying out the same actions that were used against them in the past.

0

Undo

you (unregistered) 26.07.2012 17:57

the police are masons just like the judges and the bankers
they dream of chaos, so the mason generals can get the
dumb soliders to kill their own relatives. if the people
focus on the freemasons, this nonsense will end. Use the
grand jury system to arrest freemasons for treason against
this great nation to stop this bs

+3

Undo

Anonoymous (unregistered) 26.07.2012 08:39

Tom (unregistered) wrote in #7 Foolish, you say?  I hate my governments policies and I know what goes on with fed etc.  But I will not defend criminals who abuse the system and collect welfare and commit crimes on innocent people.   I hope our system collapses here, at least the criminals will get the true justice they dseserve and eye for an eye.  Anarchy is better then the justice system here.  You have no idea what's happening here.  So, you comment is the foolish one for not having a clue what goes on here. I believe in the second ammendment, and I am a proud Libertarian and my struggle is with the lawmakers and the Federal Reserve.  The 1%?  I could care less about.  It's the central banks that create money and credit out of thin air which cause the booms and bust.  It is the people who get the money fisrt that enjoy its purchasing power before prices goes up.   IT IS THE CENTRAL BANKS AROUND THE WORLD - NAMLEY THE FEDERAL RESERVE!!!!Anonoymou s (unregistered) wrote in #4 RT failed to point out that the crowd was throwing things at the officers. They were doing this while in the crowds of women and kids using them as shields. Not to mention they were mexican gang members family's who probably hate cops anyway. I don't have any sympthay for mexican gangbangers and thier families who defend thier relatives crimes. The justice system in CA sucks, and these criminals just get of prison to do more crimes, while the inncocent suffer. I can't stand the mexcian rat culture that infects this country like a disease. Nothing but a bunch of illiterate public educated drop outs collecting govt benefitsThat is the most foolish comment I have seen in a while! The working man has long been suppressed, all around the world, for as long as I can remember. We need to stand together as one and fight the enemy that is the government, and not stand for this disgraceful police brutality anymore. As someone commented before, we need a world revolution and to support occupy to stop the 1% that control the world! As for this particular wave of protests, even if they protested peacefully, they would still get bullets and all sorts fired at them, these police are violent scum!! Wake up and open your eyes, and support the fight against the rulers of this world.

0

Undo

View all comments (36)
Add comment

By posting your comment, you agree to abide by our Posting rules

Log in to comment in full, or comment anonymously under character-limit restriction.

100 Text

– required fields

Register or

Name

Password

Show password

Register

or Register

Request a new password

Send

or Register

To complete a registration check
your Email:

or Register

A password has been sent to your email address

Edit profile

Name

New password

Retype new password

Current password

Save

Cancel

Follow us